The I's Might Have It

by Nico-Stone Rupan

One

Click. Iconic Portrait loved the sound of his classic Canon AE1. Granted there was times that a digital camera was needed, but when shooting something like Motocross having the actual film made the difference. He was almost surprised that he agreed to come out and shoot the event, but then Lemon had said her friend Indigo Zap was one of the contestants. That helped make the decision. He clicked another picture catching the mid air action of the current rider. He clicked again as the motorcycle touched down, its landing looked as if it would have thrown a more novice rider.

He stayed on the rider until she removed her helmet. Her hair clung to her from sweat, but it didn't detract from that brilliant, and confident, smile of hers. Between her smile and the fierce look of excitement in her goldenrod eyes he felt himself more than captivated. He snapped another couple of pictures in an attempt to capture and share what it was he was seeing. She waved, and he caught her presence on the camera before she pulled the helmet back on and rode off of the end of the track.

He looked back at the track, and began snapping pictures of the other riders. While he was certainly more comfortable shooting something like a fashion show he had to admit that this was exciting. Seeing the high air acts, watching as the riders managed to keep their bikes from getting away from them, and finally watching as they made their landings, waved, and rode off. By the end of the day he had went through twenty rolls of film, getting the prep shots, the action shots, and after the event shots.

He walked around the crowd, taking candid shots of those in attendance, knowing that some of the shots would most likely be used, but at the same time more in an attempt to finish up the current roll of film. He heard a familiar voice nearby and turned to see the reason he agreed to come in the first place.

Her motocross safety suit had been changed for a pair of faded blue jeans, a t-shirt sporting the famed lips and tongue of the Stones, and a pair of black high-top converse all-stars. He watched as she walked toward him.

“Cool, you made it out. Didya happen to catch my air time?” she beamed. “Nine seconds. That’s a shoe-in for first place.”

Given what he’d seen, and what he understood of the sport, he nodded in agreement. “You looked good out there.”

There was a slight blush to her cheeks. “Thanks, although I think it was more because of my skills than anything else.” She looked at him and then toward the ground. “Say, what are you doing after this?”

He held up his camera. “Using my darkroom to develop the pictures. Real film is awesome for high speed sports, but it takes a little time to get the pictures out.” He grinned at her. “Although I would certainly be up for something to eat. I haven’t had anything yet, and I could use a little something.”

She grinned at him, those goldenrod eyes shimmered with excitement as she nodded. “Yeah food sounds good. So, what did you have in mind?”

He shrugged his shoulders. In truth the both of them looked, and smelled, as if they had been outside all day. Plus the both of them were dressed pretty casually, and that meant that wherever they went they needed somewhere that had a relaxed dress code. The answer was simple, but given that they hadn’t really dated yet, mostly just talked with one another, he wanted to make a good impression. And in truth he didn’t want her to go somewhere she wouldn’t like.

“How do you feel about pizza?”

If her smile could get any brighter he was certain that he’d need some SPFs just to be in her presence. Of course she dialed it back a little, something he understood well enough, and nodded. “Yeah, Pizza sounds good.”

They walked toward the parking lot and Iconic spotted his car. Most of the photographers he worked with usually went for something a bit more streamlined, new, almost futuristic as their rides, but he couldn’t help by get something that he’d wanted since he was a kid. Sitting there was a mint green nineteen sixty-five Mustang. His friend, a barn find junkie, had found the car sitting inside of an abandoned repair garage. From what he understood his friend made half a dozen calls, found the original owner, bought the car for a couple hundred dollars, and then fixed it up into the car it was now.

Indigo whistled as she touched the door of the classic car. “Nice wheels.”

He grinned. “Thanks. Say, what about your bike?”

She shrugged. “Eh, it’s already loaded onto the trailer. Dad’s taking it back to the garage, and besides, I told him that I was going to hang around for a while. He knows that more than likely I would end up getting an Uber.”

He nodded, unlocked the doors, and she crawled into the classic Mustang. Cream white and mint green greeted her once she was inside of the sport car. The seats felt like leather, and she noticed him moving a handle. When he did he pushed a button and the top began to move. In a few seconds she felt the open air. The engine rumbled to life shortly after, and the feeling of the wind in her hair as Iconic’s ride began to head out of the parking lot.

Indigo breathed in the smell of the air around her. Being out in the open, competing, feeling the thrill of going up against someone that was almost as good as she was, all of it was the kind of thing she lived for. She looked over at Iconic, and she took him in for a moment. They’d seen each other a few times, not really dates, more like just hanging out, and that’s what this was. But then it felt a little different. It wasn’t like she hadn’t ever been interested in boys. But with her schedule it just made things difficult. She knew that Iconic had the same problem. He was almost always on the go, yet he had managed to get the job of working the Mustang Valley Regional Motocross Event.

Sure, for an athlete it was a pretty big deal. Winning here meant that the winner got the opportunity to compete nationally, and that was where she wanted to go. It just sort of meant that it was likely she wasn’t going to find anything meaningful. Instead she could see a potential of a chance. As she was focusing back on where they were going Iconic looked toward her. His cousin already knew that he was interested in Indigo.

Of course Lemon had teased him about it for days. He could tell that she was happy that someone had taken an interest in her friend though. He neared the pizza place he had seen earlier, now realizing that it was part of the kiddie arcade/pizzeria chain known as Silly’s Pizza and Arcade. Mustang Valley wasn’t a small town, but he didn’t know it that well. The fact that he’d seen a pizza sign earlier had been enough to keep the location in mind in case he wanted to get a quick bite to eat.

“Ummm, cool? I mean, I guess?”

He felt a little deflated at her words. It wasn’t like she was being a snob, or saying no out of hand, but the fact did remain that he did choose what had to be one of the worst places possible.

“Sorry, I’m not usually in this area, and to be honest I just happened to see this place on the way in. Do you want to go somewhere else?”

She shook her head. “Naw. The pizza at the Silly’s in Canterlot City is pretty decent, plus I don’t mind to play some skeeball.”

He laughed. “You know, I’m pretty decent at that game. The last time I was on assignment there happened to be a boardwalk arcade nearby. I did well enough to get one of the good prizes.”

Her eyes practically sparkled at that. “Well, what do you say about us playing a few games? Maybe see who’s better than who, huh?”

Getting inside the smell of pizza, candy, and children assaulted the noses of the two. Making their way to a table Iconic caught the attention of a waitress. She walked over toward them.

“Welcome to Silly’s Pizza and Arcade. What can I get for you?”

Indigo smiled. “A supreme with extra cheese, and a couple of sodas.” She turned Iconic. “Sound good?”

He nodded. “Yeah, that's fine.”

Shortly after the waitress left the two of them Indigo pointed to the skeeball. “So, ready to get your butt kicked?”